


saccharine ploy (gummy kisses)

by orphan_account



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Candy Shop, Attempt at Humor, College Setting, Comfort, Crack, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, based on the candy shop near the sea lions, god this is stupid, san francisco's pier 39
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 13:54:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15438495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: candyshop!au where hoseok is buying a gag gift in a candy shop for minhyuk's birthday but runs into hyungwon buying salt water taffies for minhyuk's candy bar.





	saccharine ploy (gummy kisses)

 

 

 

Hoseok shouldn't be panicking like this.

 

Earlier in the week, Minhyuk had spammed their group chat about hosting his birthday party on Saturday at his family's villa. Something along the lines of, "I want it to be relaxing because college is too wild! It'll be just the seven of us!" 

 

Yeah...right. Lowkey inside, he's dreading it because so many things can go wrong with only the seven of them and he still doesn't have a gift. So Hoseok finds himself at Pier 39, wandering aimlessly through the large crowd to random shops, hoping to find something that Minhyuk will enjoy or hopefully use.

 

Surprisingly, the pier isn't as crowded as usual so it lets him look at the various stalls and windows.

 

He first stumbles into what seems to be a dog shop (but Minhyuk doesn't have a dog Hoseok) and looks at the various signs, collars, posters, and realistic doggy cupcake treats and he's tempted to buy it because well, he hasn't eaten and it looks appetizing. He should probably look for some food.

 

The mini donuts never fail him, so he buys a small bag that was freshly made and moves toward the iconic carousel, and faintly smiles because he remembers when Jooheon, Hyungwon, and Kihyun came here and rode it late at night. It was one of the best memories he cherished and wished to always remember. Walking around the line of kids and adults alike, he finds a clothing store.

 

Inside there's things that say "I <3 San Francisco" and other typical tourist items, and glancing around, Hoseok doesn't find anything that interesting.

 

Walking back outside, he stops outside one of his personal favorites, the Buddhism store, and thinks that the elephant painting is beautiful, but knows that for one, it's too big, and second, it's expensive and he's not the richest college student. Why was finding the perfect gift for Minhyuk so...hard? It seemed as if anything pleased the perky boy with his bubbly, loud self. 

 

Hoseok stopped to see the sea lions, watching them lounge on the wooden floats.

 

Ugh, if life was like that, he wouldn't give a damn in the world.

 

Down the stretch lies Hoseok's favorite store, that's not the hot sauce shop (it's his second favorite) but the candy shop, his face lights up and he stumbles his way in, moving to the back. He mumbles aloud, "Should I get a bag of salt water taffies?" Should he?

 

It's captivating to do so but he holds off for a bit longer. He'll buy it anyways. He always does.

 

The back of the store contains foreign candies that he loves to try and when he turns his head, he's met with the real reason he loves this store dearly. Adult humored candies.

 

There's all sorts of weird gimmicks, like bra and thong candy accessories, tiny dick shaped gummies, inappropriately named gum flavors, and ah, the big dick gummies. Wait. His body freezes. Minhyuk would fucking love this. Of course his weird ass would. Knowing him, he'd open it and probably throw it at someone's noggin. Amazing.

 

Hoseok thinks he's possibly the best genius the world has ever seen because he's grabbing the box (and a few foreign candies) and blatantly ignoring the judging stares sent his way. Grabbing a woven basket, he also sets on getting a few handfuls of taffy. Salt water taffies are wonderful.

 

However, what doesn't prepare him is the familiar voice asking, "...Hoseok? Is that you?"

 

Perhaps he wants to die on the spot.

 

Around strangers, Hoseok is confident. He knows he looks good. He knows what people think when they see him. But around people he knows? He's a tad bit more emotional and attentive to his surroundings. He's softer and actually quite handsy. 

 

Hoseok slowly gazes to the voice behind him and hopes that it isn't who he thinks and well... _fuck_.

 

Out of anybody, it has to be none other than Chae Hyungwon, his closest friend and conceivably his crush (he tries not to dwell on it too much).

 

"Hey Hyungwonie," he greets warmly, hoping that the former doesn't notice the blush starting to color his cheeks, or somehow hear his heart beating, rhythm getting faster, like the tempo of a drum, thundering with each hit. Hyungwon grins at him and Hoseok can't help but fall a little more.

 

It's stupid. Why is he acting like this? Like Hyungwon would ever give him any sliver of time from his day to love him. 

 

He tilts his head to the side to stop the burning of his eyes.

 

"Can you believe Minhyuk?" Hyungwon starts, grumbling a little, "He wants a candy bar. A _whole_ table of candy. Says he'll give the rest to his cousins. I can't believe I'm doing this."

 

"The things we do for him," Hoseok snorts, filling his basket with root beer flavored taffies. Hyungwon nods, laughing a bit until they're in their own little world, giggling at nothing funny in particular, but it's natural for them. Hoseok just wished it didn't affect and hurt him so much as it should. It's scary how fast a single man could change him. It terrifies him so much.

 

After the giggling resides, he side eyes him looking at his basket and instantly becomes paralyzed, face burning with embarrassment because he remembers the contents in said basket. Hyungwon gapes for a second and Hoseok wants to disappear into a hole and become a hobbit for the rest of his life.

 

He exhales before chuckling, "Is that what I think it is? Now that I think about it, what are you here for? You don't come here alone often. So tell me, why is there a big phallic gummy in your basket?" Hoseok wants to _die_. Maybe get a passport and live somewhere like Paris or tropical like Bora Bora, but he's broke. Like most college students.

 

The words he wants to reply with are, "It's a gag gift for Minhyuk's dumbass," but what sadly comes out of his mouth instead is, "It's for me! Um, yeah. It looked cool." His ears are hot and heavy with mortification and for the second time today his body tenses up and freezes.

 

Hyungwon with friends? He's chilling, he can handle it because there are so many distractions. 

 

Hyungwon with him alone? He gets nervous and insecure, he doesn't want to fuck up and ruin five years of smiles, laughs, and stupid fights. 

 

A snicker is poorly suppressed from Hyungwon's lips, eyes crinkling at the edges and Hoseok has no idea what to do. He can't do much because his heart is  _racing_ and he's still rigid with icy hot shame. It was never easy around him.

 

"I-I have to go," Hoseok stammers, brain going into overdrive. He can't stay. He so desperately wants to, wants to spend time with Hyungwon alone, but he'll make a fool out of himself more than he has already. His chances are gone out the window and the air around him is stuffy, starting to suffocate him.

 

He starts to make a dash to the register, but a harsh grip on his wrist pulls him back and he finds himself colliding into a thinner frame, and he's hurting. He just wants to go home.

 

Hatred starts to form. Why can't he separate friend from crush?  

 

"Hoseok, look at me." Refusing, Hoseok stares at the floor. He hears a sigh and suddenly, Hyungwon's face is staring back at him, eyes etched with worry and concern. "Seokkie, what's wrong?" And it's the nickname that gets him.

 

Tears spring up and form in his eyes, skin warming and flaming up as he tries to subdue the shaking his body is producing.

 

"Oh, Seokkie, how come you didn't tell me anything," Hyungwon chides, rubbing away at the small droplets. He snatches the basket from Hoseok's hand and says, "Wait outside. I'll buy these." With that, Hoseok is swerving out of the way of other customers and finally outside, less cramped and colder. The wind whispers against his skin, as if it were to soothe him. 

 

Part of him wants to run, get far away as possible and drive home. But he settles on a nearby bench and inhales, trying to collect whatever he has left. 

 

A few moments later, he feels someone sit next to him and a hand starts combing through his hair, tugging and massaging it. He relaxes into the warm hand and lets out a stuttered breath before finally looking up.

 

Hyungwon is looking at him lovingly and he's lost, confused, but a little more happier that he knows exactly how to calm him down. "How about...how about we walk upstairs where there's less people?" Hyungwon offers, standing up and leading Hoseok up the stairs to the second level, finding a secluded spot ironically near the hot sauce shop. 

 

He's the first one to speak up. "I'm sorry, I just-" he gets cut off by finger on his lips.

 

"What are you," Hyungwon responds, eyebrows slanting, "apologizing for? Stop Seokkie, you know it's not your fault."

 

"But-"

 

"Stop." It shuts him up.

 

"Tell me the real reason. What's bothering you? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to but...I just want to make you happy."

 

And it stings. He wants to tell him, "You make me happy. Yet you make me so fucking terrified."

 

"Why do I make you terrified?"

 

Fuck. Did he just say that aloud? He wants to curl up into a ball. Why was everything suddenly stressful? But maybe, he thinks, straightening up, he can finally get it off his chest.

 

"Look, Hyungwon, please, I don't want to fuck any- stop, let me finish what I'm going to say," Hoseok whispers, and Hyungwon bites his lips. "Look. I um. I like you and your stupid smile a lot, and the way you always hug me and look at me-"

 

Rudely, he's cut off again but for a different reason, as there's a hand snaking around to his nape and suddenly Hyungwon's face is so close to his and he can't  _breathe_ , and everything stops when warm lips are on his.

 

For the third time, he's frozen, and Hyungwon backs off, apology on the tip of this tongue but Hoseok finds courage from somewhere and kisses him again, and they both melt into each other.

 

There's no fireworks, and Hoseok has kissed a few people throughout his life, but nothing's as soft as Hyungwon's lips, or the warmth due to their proximity, or the way Hoseok smiles, Hyungwon copying in a happy grin.

 

"You could've confessed to me ages ago, you know? Why now?" Hoseok gasps for air, resting his forehead on Hyungwon's shoulder.

 

"Fuck you, man. Do you know how hard that was? You try confessing sometime." The latter giggles, and loops his bony arms around Hoseok's neck.

 

"I would, I just needed to know if you would've felt the same," he says in between the pecks he's placing on his face.

 

Hoseok opens his mouth. "Wonnie, I...will you go out with me?" He's nervous again, hands shaking and jittery.

 

"You fucking dingus, of course I will. I'll go on all the romantic and sappy dates you want, you fucking hopeless romantic. Now that we have that out of the way, let's go back to your place. I want cuddles and more kisses." Hoseok smiles and kisses Hyungwon's forehead, just for the heck of it.

 

"Of course. Ugh, just wait until everyone catches us kissing Saturday." Hyungwon lets out a snort and they stand up to go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changkyun's loud screech and Minhyuk's yelling can be heard throughout the villa.

 

"Oh my god, I just saw Hyungwon kiss Hoseok!"

 

"WHAT!?"

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> i was inspired by the dick gummies in the candy shop by the sea lions
> 
> this was supposed to be 99.9% crack but it's 12:46 am and i'm emotional at night so uh OOP 
> 
> also sorry for the errors i'll edit and revise in the morning


End file.
